Arab,Western powers say no future role for Assad

A GROUP of Arab and the Western countries Tuesday agreed with Syrias moderate opposition that President Bashar al-Assad should have no role in any future Syrian government.

The group of 11 countries  Britain,Egypt,France,Germany,Jordan,Italy,Qatar,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,the UAE and the US,dubbed as Friends of Syria  during talks with the opposition discussed ways to ensure that the Geneva II conference next month must be about a political transition in Syria away from the Assad regime.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague,after the talks here,said,We are as clear as he is that Assad has no role in a peaceful and democratic Syria.

Without giving details,Hague told reporters that a number of important steps were agreed on during the meeting with Ahmad Jarba,head of the Syrian National Coalition. Syrias moderate opposition should commit itself fully to planned peace talks,he said.

However,a defiant Assad said he intended to run for re-election in 2014.

Planned talks in Geneva next month offered Syrians the best hope to improve their lives,Hague was quoted as saying by BBC.

The Syrian opposition coalition had agreed to attend the London talks,saying it would focus on these countries understandings about Geneva II and what it should result in.